Wilhelmina (Willie) Elsie Howard (Perdon)
She was the foundation of our world, and, in her absence, we are left to build our own."
Obituary
Wilhelmina (a.k.a. Willie) Elsie Howard (Perdon), (74), daughter of Francisco (Frank) Smith Perdon and Audrey Mae Perdon (Rice), passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 5th at 8:10 AM at the Boulder City Hospital in Boulder City, Nevada.
Born on Monday, January 22nd, 1951, in Hawthorn, Nevada, Willie is survived by her two daughters and son, Terra Lee Jarvis (Perdon), Johnna Trista Ward (Perdon), and Miguel (Michael) David Perdon; grandchildren, Calindria Trista Ervin (Jarvis), Jonathan Zane Ward, Jr., Dylan Dean Ward, and Jaden Miguel Perdon; great-grandchildren are Harlow Esmeray Ervin, and Jonathan Zane Ward III.
Willie was a devoted parent to Terra Lee Jarvis (Perdon), Johnna Trista Ward (Perdon), and her son, Miguel (Michael) David Perdon. She enjoyed spending time with her family, cooking, and entertaining her numerous friends. For those who knew her called her, “green thumb.”
She was a phytophile, someone who had a deep appreciation for and connection with the plant kingdom. Willie found joy in observing, understanding, and nurturing plants, whether in her garden, a forest, or even in her collection of houseplants. She loved her plants so much that she learned all about each of them by picking up books from the Boulder City Library. Willie learned about the details of plant life, from the delicate veins on a leaf to the intricate patterns each plant has. She had a deep understanding of the plant names, species, growth habits, and care requirements.
In addition, she was very intuitive about what plants needed too. But she was also curious about how plants grow, what conditions they thrive in, and how they interact with their environment. Overall, she was very caring and nurturing to her plants by being active in being attentive, patient, and compassionate with them.
Willie had great fulfillment in caring for her plants by watering, pruning, and fertilizing them. She had a strong connection to the natural world and found peace and solace in surrounding herself with house plants. Willie also enjoyed using plants in creative ways in home décor, landscaping, or even in art. She was often enthusiastic about sharing her love of plants with others. Willie really saw the beauty, wonder, and value in the plant kingdom, and she found so much joy in interacting with her plants. She enjoyed so many things in life, even artistic pursuits.
She was very artistic. She possessed a keen eye for detail, a vibrant imagination, and a deep appreciation for aesthetics. In addition to being creative, innovative, and unconventional, she was a true visionary. Her passion for her art form was often evident in her work and her overall approach to life. She had a rich inner world, and she explored new ideas and possibilities using her creativity and imagination.
Willie was passionate and driven in all of her artistic pursuits. She was driven to refine her skills and express herself through her chosen artistic identity. Her appreciation for beauty in the world around her was infectious. Willie made everything and the world around her more beautiful. She was drawn to patterns, colors, and textures.
She was very expressive through her communication, thoughts, feelings, and perspective in her art. Willie did not follow traditional paths or rules; she had a unique style and approach to her work. She was always seeking beauty and meaning in the world. Willie was motivated by a desire to create something beautiful or meaningful, and she found so much satisfaction in sharing her creations with others. She also had a keen sensitivity to what looked good. She will be missed dearly.
A memorial service will be held on July 19th at 11:00 AM at 916 Fifth Street in Boulder City, Nevada. Please no black clothing at the service, per Willie’s request. Following the service, the family will hold a luncheon for the family to share memories and comfort each other.
Please send flowers for the service on July 19th to 916 Fifth Street in Boulder City, Nevada. Instead of flowers, there is a Go Fund Me (Willie) in her memory for funeral arrangements (celebration, transportation to the site, and renting areas locations) in Juneau, Alaska, for next year, in Juneau, Alaska, where her remains will be laid to rest: https://gofund.me/87320a15
Willie’s ashes will be laid to rest in Juneau, Alaska, at Excursion Inlet with her parents in the summer of 2026.
Thank you to everyone who has come to support the family and the deceased during this delicate time and offered condolences to the family.
"Our Mother’s Love"
A mother's love, a timeless art,
A gentle touch, a beating heart.
Though now you rest, a peaceful sleep,
Your love's embrace, our hearts will keep.
Summary
She was the middle child of five daughters. As a child, she liked drawing at home with her family. When she was outside, she enjoyed riding her bike with her sisters and playing with bugs and lizards by catching them. Since she was a tomboy, she enjoyed eating bugs to bother her sisters. She loved her family dearly and protected them from every physical or emotional unrest. She grew up in challenging times as the world around her was collapsing, rebuilding, and shifting into new views.
Willie was also a Tlingit Alaska Native, connected to the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast, primarily in Southeast Alaska, as her grandmother was born in Excursion Inlet, which was originally an Alaska Native settlement. The Tlingit society is deeply rooted in a complex interconnected system of moieties, clans, and houses. Willie’s moiety (clan) is the Eagle (a.k.a. Kaagwaantaan (wolf)). The Eagle symbolizes leadership and strength.
In the Tlingit culture, the Eagle moiety is sometimes also referred to as the Wolf moiety. This is because the Tlingit society is divided into two exogamous (meaning they marry outside their group) groups called moieties, the Raven (Yéil) and the Eagle (Ch’áak’)/Wolf (Gooch). The specific animal associated with the Eagle/Wolf moiety can vary depending on the location and the specific clan within that moiety. While the Eagle is a prominent symbol, the Wolf is also a significant animal representing traits like strength, leadership, and family in Tlingit culture, particularly in the northern regions.
The Eagle moiety was historically known as the Wolf (Gooch), and Tlingit communities in interior Canada still use the Wolf moiety name. This dual naming convention reflects the multifaceted nature of the Eagle/Wolf moiety and its associated crests. It highlights that the Tlingit kinship system is complex and involves a variety of animal symbols representing different aspects of clan identity and history. Overall, the Eagle is sometimes used interchangeably with the Wolf.
Traditionally, a Raven marries an Eagle and vice versa, though this rule is not mandatory. Everyone has their own autonomy to marry who they want. Willie’s father, Frank Perdon, was from the Raven clan, and when he married her mom, she was adopted into the Eagle clan, which is his opposite. Overall, all of Willie’s husbands would be adopted into the Raven clan since she was part of the Eagle/Wolf clan.
It also means being part of a “bear house” (a.k.a. Kookhittaan), which indicates belonging to a specific clan within the Eagle/Wolf moiety (Ch’aak’/Gooch naa), which has the bear as a crest. The house Willie belongs to is the Bear (clan house). The Bear represents power, courage, physical strength, and leadership. She is also connected to the Coho (a.k.a. L’uknax.ádi and silver salmon: l’ook).
The salmon is considered to be a sacred and valuable resource to the Tlingit people. Losing an elder is more than just a personal loss in the Tlingit culture; it’s a loss that impacts the entire community’s ability to maintain its cultural identity, pass on crucial knowledge, and continue its social and spiritual practices. Willie will be honored at the potlatch ceremony in Juneau, Alaska, which will demonstrate a deep respect for her legacy. Her life profoundly inspired her family and everyone who met her.
She left a big impression on her siblings. Willie’s sister, Wendy, loved her lasagna. Her favorite memories with her were doing crafts and taking drives with her when their parents were sleeping. Her sister Wanda’s favorite memory with her was when they did crafts together and worked in Wanda’s Garden. She shares that it was never work, it was a pleasure caring for the garden together in Wanda’s Garden. They enjoyed each other’s company immensely. Wanda loved how she always looked over her sisters and was always so protective of her family. Netta’s memory with her sister is when all the sisters went on their spa vacation in California, and they had pedicures. Netta said that her sister Willie was an inspiration to her because of Willie’s artistic talent. Netta also shares that she felt a lot of gratitude for her sister because she knew she loved her. Waloha’s favorite memories of her sister were endless and too many to share. Willie inspired Waloha so much because her sister Willie could do anything; she even taught herself how to play the guitar and make her Barbies' clothes. She shares that she was a very talented woman. Waloha also shared that she was very protective of her family. Shammy's favorite memories are when they drove around in the car and sang songs together, when they lived together, Willie taught her a lot about art and cooking. Shammy loved how her sister taught her basic life skills like cleaning, cooking, and other life skills. Her teachings were endless and so important to her. Shammy felt loved by her sister and special. She liked how her sister Willie called her "Shamrock." Willie inspired Shammy by taking care of their parents, Frank and Audrey, because Shammy knew it was hard work and stressful. Shammy admired her sister so much. Even though their sister is gone, her spirit still lives on in their hearts, and the memories that were made together are a treasure they will always hold dear.
For her children, they were in awe of everything she said, did, and was. She was an incredible guide and support. And her teachings and wisdom were both priceless and endless.
Terra has so many favorite memories with her mother. The first one would be when Terra was with her mom as a child was when her mom would hold her when she was scared and tell her that God would never let anything happen to her, and to imagine his hands around her, protecting her life as a shield. She always made me feel so loved and safe. Since I was a child up to 2025, she always told me I was her first love.
Some of Terra’s favorite memories with her as an adult was when they were in New York City and we went to the Cloister Museum and we were eating lunch on the lawn and the sprinklers came on, when we went to the Statue of Liberty and met Miss Liberty, we ate at the Brazilian steakhouse in NYC where they serve meat non-stop until you flipped your coaster (we were both laughing hysterically because my mom was a carnivore), we went to all the museums (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Modern Art, and 9/11 Memorial & Museum), the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (one of her favorites), and art galleries, watching the 4th of July fireworks on my rooftop in NYC, and walked every inch of Central Park, including the Belvedere Castle. She told me that if she moved to NYC, she would want to live in Brooklyn. Another favorite memory of Terra’s was when Willie, Johnna, and Terra were all together for Willie’s 70th birthday (2021) in Boulder City, Nevada.
Terra was inspired by Willie’s ability to love her unconditionally. She also inspired Terra to learn and grow as a person and taught Terra to refrain from using the word “hate” or exercising it in your life. This is the best advice her mother could have blessed her with. Terra’s mother continuously inspired her. These gifts will echo in time, and the lessons will be a part of Terra’s remaining mortal journey here on Earth.
Johnna’s favorite memories with her mom were the many endless adventures they shared (e.g., Las Vegas, Lake Mead, exploring nature in Nevada, and spending time doing arts and crafts). Willie inspired Johnna by teaching her about faith. Willie possessed unwavering faith that was bulletproof.
Michael’s favorite memory with his mother was when they watched movies together. Willie inspired Michael by encouraging him to draw and create.
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